Anacortes Art Dash

Last Saturday I made it out to Anacortes to help out with the annual Art Dash. 5k, 10k, and Half-marathon options, kicking off the annual arts festival. Terry helped make another race in the Skagit happen, with Stan, Delores, and many others helping out. This little event is getting bigger and bigger, with over 600 people running this year. I held a timer and went click, click, click.

Afterwards, I did a jog around some of the Anacortes Community Forest Lands. Anacortes has some terrific trails, circling Heart Lake, Whistle Lake, Mount Eerie, and other parts.  I mostly ran around the Whistle Lake area, which is a beautiful lake. Many were headed up that way to swim.

While u-picking Sunday, we came across a small nest, tucked high in the tayberry bush, with five tiny, little soft-blue eggs. Had to include a picture here. The weather has finally turned summer, the berries are happening, at $1.90 a pint, and the high country is opening up.

Congratulations to all those who were out there running White River last Saturday. A part of me really wanted to be there, but I think I need a refresher 50k first. And congrats to friend Seth for finishing his run across the U.S. And Terry, for his incredible Badwater run. If I start this, I won't be able to stop--very inspired by my friends these days.

Happy summer!

Loggerodeo

 

The Great Sedro-Woolley Footrace is a Fourth of July tradition in Skagit County.  I just call it Loggerodeo, after the name of the small town festival that Sedro-Woolley puts on every year.  The week long Loggerodeo festival is known for its chain saw art carving contests, dancing in the street, the footrace, a rodeo, and a Fourth of July parade.

The race itself has a 5.17 mile option and a 2 mile option.  It’s all road, basically flat, and fast.  The two mile option stays in town, running by stores, craftsman homes, and through tree lined streets.  The 5.17 route goes further, out by horse and farm fields, briefly along the Skagit River, past a carnival, and then finishes in town on the parade route, with people watching and cheering from chairs on both sides of the street for almost a mile.  It makes for a fun way to start the Fourth.

Today’s weather was great.  Near spectacular really.  So thankful for the weather we have here in the Northwest, after talking with my family back east and in Colorado.  I’m running mostly on memory these days, huffing and puffing my way down the street, but I’ll keep it up with the baby steps approach.  Glad to get back to this wonderful event.  Been too long.

And, GREAT to see Skagit Runners volunteering, as they always do—people like Kevin, Stan, Delores, Katie, Brock and others.  Great also to hang out after the race with Craig, Heather, Ruth and Dean. 

Happy Fourth of July, all!